Food allergy testing will check to see if you have a reaction to a particular food. Some tests will test for true allergies while others may only test for food intolerances. There are four accepted tests that will help you determine if a particular food is problematic for you, they are: skin prick test, blood test, food challenge test, and elimination diet.

If you have a history of allergic symptoms that follows the consumption of a particular food you may need to have an allergy test done. Which test you have done will depend on the type of symptoms you have and what the results of other tests has been.

When preparing to take these tests you will most likely need to stop taking any allergy medications before you take the tests, as drugs such as antihistamines can affect the results of the tests you take. Be sure to check with your doctor about these medications as well as any other medications or supplements you take to find out if you should stop taking any of them.

A skin prick test is the most common test used to test for food allergies. A small drop of the food extract or other allergen is placed on the back of the patient and then the skin is pricked at that spot with a needle. The allergen is left for about 15 minutes then the area where the tests were done is checked any spot that is a raised bump and red will indicate an allergy to that food. Another test that is similar to this is done where a small amount of the allergen is injected just under the surface of the skin.

Blood tests will take a small amount of your blood and measure the amount of IgE antibodies in your blood. This is the antibody your immune system makes when it tries to fight of the invading food. A sample of your blood is then tested with various foods to see if you have antibodies to those specific foods.

A food challenge can be used in cases where allergy tests are not conclusive. A food challenge is where you consume ever increasing amounts of a food while the doctor monitors your symptoms. Normally done in an office or hospital that is equipped to take care of any medical emergency resulting from an allergic reaction this test is used for allergies that are not a result of IgE antibodies.

An Elimination diet is where you stop eating foods that may cause your symptoms for a couple of weeks, and then slowly add them back in to see what food is causing your symptoms and what symptoms they may be. For those that have milder symptoms and test negative for food allergies this may help determine if you have an intolerance to a particular food.